our take on pop culture, live events, and whatever else we can think of…

Your JavaScript is turned off!

Some portions of the TN Team Blog rely on JavaScript in order to work properly. To get the full blog experience (including posting comments), please enable JavaScript on your browser. If you need help, please click here for instructions.

I considered trying to mask the fact that these are actually shows I’m super excited for, but I might as well be honest: these kid-friendly theater programs look amazing. I blame the fact that I'm still secretly a kid.

Matilda – The Musical

Growing up, I was in awe of the Matilda film, starring Mara Wilson (Matilda), Danny DeVito (Mr. Wormwood), Rhea Pearlman (Mrs. Wormwood), and Embeth Davidtz (Miss Honey). Matilda was just a kid, but she walked to the library by herself, flipped a perfect pancake, tied the blue ribbon on her head in a precise bow, and even had telekinetic powers. Insert dreamy sigh. As I grew older, my love for Matilda grew, especially when I devoured Roald Dahl’s book (which the film is based on). I came to admire Matilda for her sass and smarts.

So when I saw Matilda would not just be coming to the theater but had been turned into a musical, all bets were off. Set in England, Matilda — The Musical now has everything that was wonderful about the movie, plus the added element of singing and British accents. What more could you ask for?

London’s West End is one of the greatest hubs of theatrical entertainment in the world. It has borne unforgettable screenwriters, actors, directors and choreographers. Over the years the West End has housed some incredible plays and musicals, and in this article we are going to share with you the top five performances you can’t afford to miss this coming season.

Billy Elliot, Victoria Palace

Billy Elliot is a young school boy who dreams of one day becoming a ballerina. However, his journey of rising to the top of his profession puts relationships in turmoil as he turns his back on boxing to pursue his passion. First performed at London’s West End, Billy Elliot has continued to touch the hearts of thousands and now can be watched across the world.

It's nearly September, which means it's time to make some predictions about the upcoming fall Broadway season, which is bringing a lot of different shows to the Great White Way. Check out opening dates and my predictions below.

The Anarchist: Previews Nov. 13, Opens Dec. 2Patti LuPone and Debra Winger are both acting legends, and they combine with a David Mamet play in this production. Should be a good one, though the show is scheduled for a limited run ending February 17.

Annie: Previews Oct. 3, Opens Nov. 8This musical first premiered on Broadway in 1977, and it ended up running for almost six years. It's a family favorite, so I think this will do really well.

Chaplin - The Musical: In previews, Opens Sep. 10I'm not really sure how well this one will do; sure, everyone knows who Charlie Chaplin is, but I'm not sure how many people are clamoring to see him on stage these days.

A Christmas Story: Previews Nov. 6, Opens Nov. 19So this isn't actually a new show, but it's the first time it's been on Broadway. The classic holiday movie is beloved by many, so I'm guessing the musical version on Broadway will be right up there with the Rockettes and the return of Elf this season.

Cyrano de Bergerac: Previews Sep. 14, Opens Oct. 11This play has been on Broadway in various productions since 1898, and Broadway heavyweights Douglas Hodge and Patrick Page are lending their skills to the production, so I think this will be a big hit.

Dead Accounts: Previews Nov. 3, Opens Nov. 29This is a new comedy by Theresa Rebeck, who also wrote last year's Seminar. The biggest draw for this show might be the fact that Katie Holmes is making her Broadway return, alongside Norbert Leo Butz (who I, and many other theater fans, love).

Glengarry Glen Ross: Previews Oct. 16, Opens Nov. 11This David Mamet play has been on Broadway twice before, with moderately successful results. This time, though, Al Pacino and Bobby Cannavale are starring in the drama, which ups the ante for sure.

Grace: Previews Sep. 13, Opens Oct. 4Another star-powered show, with Paul Rudd and Ed Asner. Because it's a comedy starring a few great comedians, I think this one will perform well on Broadway this season.

Do you agree with these assessments? What show are you most looking forward to this Broadway season? Tell us in the comments! And for a complete list of current and upcoming Broadway shows, visit TicketNetwork's Broadway page.

The Tony Awards are rapidly approaching, with the telecast scheduled for 8/7c on June 10. Since I did pretty well last year, I decided to make some predictions about who will take home the big prizes this year. My predictions are below.

Best Play

Nominees: Clybourne Park, Other Desert Cities, Peter and the Starcatcher, Venus in Fur

Liz's pick: Venus in Fur. I've heard great things about the show, and it also stars Tony Award nominee Nina Arianda.

Best Musical

Nominees: Leap of Faith, Newsies, Nice Work If You Can Get It, Once

Liz's pick: Anyone notice that this category is almost entirely made up of musicals that were based on movies? I think it'll be a close race between Newsies and Once, but I think Once might squeak by with a win.

Best Book of a Musical

Nominees: Lysistrata Jones, Newsies, Nice Work If You Can Get It, Once

Liz's pick: Lysistrata Jones. I think this one might come out of the woodwork to win. The plot is hilarious and I'm guessing the book is, too.

Pages

Disclaimer

The TN Team Blog and other social media platforms where TicketNetwork.com’s content team posts content including, but not limited to Facebook, Twitter, and Google+, are written by the TicketNetwork.com content team. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of TicketNetwork Inc. Any trademarks remain the property of their respective owners; the appearance of trademarked terms does not indicate any association with TicketNetwork.com or TicketNetwork, Inc.

The views, opinions and positions expressed within guest posts are those of the author alone and do not represent those of TicketNetwork or its employees. The accuracy, completeness and validity of any statements made within guest post articles are not guaranteed. TicketNetwork accepts no liability for any errors, omissions or representations made in the guest blogger postings. The copyright of the guest blogger’s content belongs to the author and any rights or liability with regards to alleged infringement of the author’s work is between the alleged infringer and the author and not TicketNetwork. Please note that guest bloggers are not paid by TicketNetwork for blogging content.